PULLMAN, Wash. (August 28, 2026) — Washington State (2-0, 0-0 Pac-12) secured a 3-1 victory over Montana (1-1, 0-0 Big Sky) Saturday at Bohler Gym, with set scores of 23-25, 25-16, 25-16, and 25-19. WSU recorded 16 total blocks, contributing significantly to its win.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The first set commenced with Wazzu taking an early lead, fueled by a series of offensive plays including a kill by Naomi White, who marked a season-high with eight kills, and Whitney Dewicki's contributions. The Cougs extended their advantage to 11-2 before Montana responded with a strong comeback. Service pressure and key plays helped Montana rally to tie the score at 11-11. The teams then exchanged points until Montana edged ahead. Despite a late effort from the Cougars, a kill secured the set for Montana, 25-23.
WSU secured the second set against Montana with a decisive 25-16 victory. White initiated the scoring with a kill to put WSU on the board, followed by a service ace from Mary Healy, establishing early momentum. Eliana Ti'a contributed with effective attacks, including a kill to break a 3-3 tie, setting the stage for her career-high 20 kills and 50 total attack attempts. Wazzu's defense, led by Kryssa Moerman and Tia, was pivotal in blocking multiple Montana attacks. Healy's consistent performance was evident, particularly in the latter stages, where she secured the final point with a kill assisted by Livia Ward, achieving a season-high of 10 kills.
WSU gained momentum in the third set, opening with a scoring surge that included a block from Dewicki and White, leading to a 2-0 advantage. Montana briefly tied the score at 4-4 after a series of kills. However, a four-point run by Wazzu, highlighted by an ace and a block from Dewicki, extended the lead to 15-11. Tia contributed significantly with multiple kills, reaching a milestone of 150 career kills with a total of 169. Kambree Rodriguez orchestrated effective plays. The set concluded with a decisive kill from Healy, securing a 25-16 win for WSU.
The Cougars secured a confident victory in the fourth set against Montana, finishing with a 25-19 score. WSU started with a strong 6-0 run, with White and Tia contributing key kills. Montana fought back with a series of successful plays, narrowing the gap to 8-5, but WSU maintained the lead. Tia's consistent performance, including multiple kills, proved crucial, while Dewicki and Moerman combined for significant blocks. The match concluded with Healy's kill, assisted by Audrey Hollis, sealing the set for WSU.
WSU Top Performers
Eliana Tia
- 20 kills
- three service aces
- 12 digs
- 25.0 points
- 10 kills
- 16 digs
- two service aces
- 12.5 points
- eight kills
- five total blocks
- one service ace
- 12.0 points
- five kills
- nine total blocks
- 10.5 points
- six kills
- seven total blocks
- 10.0 points
Looking ahead, the Cougs will face Central Michigan Sunday, Aug. 30 at 11 a.m. in Pullman, Washington.
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